The Coca-Cola Company faced intensified competition from rivals such as PepsiCo in the 1990s, putting pressure on margins and hurting its bottling companies. As a counter-strategy, Coca-Cola and its bottlers sought to grow its vending machine business, which had higher margins. As a way to incentivize its bottlers to make the investment in vending machines, Coca-Cola provided cash support for one-quarter of the cost of each vending machine. In this case students consider how Coca-Cola and its bottlers should account for this payment by examining soda pricing, financial data, and the relationships between Coca-Cola and its bottlers.

Professor Harris' research and practical experience has covered most areas of the use of accounting information for valuation, investment and management decisions, with a particular focus on global aspects. He originally joined the Columbia Business School faculty in 1983, and was the Jerome A. Chazen Professor of International Business, Director of the Chazen Institute of International Business and Chair of the Accounting Department, prior to joining...

Professor Ziv was on the faculty of Yale School of Organization and Management, on the faculty of Columbia Business School and on the faculty of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC) (where he also founded and headed the executive education unit) before rejoining Columbia Business School as a Vice Dean and a Professor of Accounting. Professor Ziv also serves on the editorial...